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 bully-beef is meant boiled salt beef. [This may either be a corruption of bull beef or from the French bouilli, boiled meat.]

1883. Clark Russell, Sailors' Language, pref., xii. Soup-and-bouilli is another standing sea dish, and, taking it all round, is the most disgusting of the provisions served out to the merchant sailor. I have known many a strong stomach, made food-proof by years of pork eaten with molasses, and biscuit alive with worms, to be utterly capsized by the mere smell of soup-and-bouilli. Jack calls it 'soap and bullion, one onion to a gallon of water,' and thus fairly expresses the character of the nauseous compound.

1887. Daily News, July 9, p. 6, col. 4. The rations will be of the kind known to Tommy Atkins as 'bully beef.' There may be in it a considerable proportion of mutton, but that makes no difference to him.

Bully-Boss, subs. (American).—The landlord of a brothel or thieves' den. [From bully, sense 1 (q.v.), + boss, a master.]

Bully-Buck.—See Bully-back.

Bully Cock, subs. (old).—1. See quot.

1785. Grose, Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Bully-cock, one who foments quarrels in order to rob the persons quarrelling.

2. subs. (old).—A low round hat with broad brim.—See Billy-cock.

3. (old.)—A man who sets other people by the ears, so that, while they quarrel, he may rob them with impunity.

Bullyrag or Ballyrag, verb (colloquial).—To revile; abuse; abuse; scold vehemently—usually in vulgar or obscene language; also to swindle by means of intimidation. [The etymology is unknown.]

French Synonyms. Arranger aux petits oignons; monter une gamme (popular: gamme = thrashing or 'walloping'); habiller quelqu'un de taffetas (popular: i.e., to clothe anyone with fear; Cf., 'clothed with shame'); agonir (popular: 'to haul over the coals'; properly 'to pull to pieces'); secouer les puces à quel-qu'un (popular: secouer = to shake; puces = fleas. Cf., 'to send one away with a flea in the ear').

1760. T. Warton, Oxford Newsman's Verses.

On Minden's plains, ye meek Mounseers! Remember Kingsley's grenadiers. You vainly thought to ballarag us, Like your fine squadron off Cape Lagos.

1861. Charles Lever, One of Them, p. 36. He bullyragged me.

1876. S. Clemens ('Mark Twain'), Tom Sawyer, p. 118. I don't want nothing better 'n this; I don't git enough to eat gin'ally,—and here they can't come and pick a feller and bullyrag him so.

1880. Jas. Greenwood, Maids in Waiting, in Odd People in Odd Places, p. 143. You should have heard the bullyragging I got, ma'am, from the mistress and the master as well, and I was turned out in the shameful way I've already explained to you, for doing what was no wrong at all, but only what me good-nature tempted me to.

1884. Jas. Payn, Talk of the Town, ch. v. He had never been 'bally-ragged' in his own house for 'nothing'—except by his wife—before.

Bullyragging, verb, subs, (colloquial).—Scolding; abuse; and sometimes swindling. [From bullyrag (q.v.) + ing.] For synonyms, see Wigging.

1863. H. Kingsley Austin Elliot, ch. xviii. 'It would be a good thing for she if she could bully Miss Eleanor into marrying Captain Hertford, and then that the pair on 'em should have the bullying and bally-ragging of nine thousand a year.'

1880. Mrs. Parr, Adam and Eve, xxi., 292. There'll be more set to the score o' my coaxin' than ever 'all be to Adam's bully-ragging.' [m.]